


The Dark Side Of The Moon

by kinkymastermind (writingcreature)



Series: Warzone/Paradise Chronicles [8]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canon Divergence, Dark, Developing Relationship, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hallucinations, M/M, Mental Breakdown, Panic Attacks, Protective Steve McGarrett, Suspence, Trauma, Trust Issues, Worried Steve McGarrett, more than a fix it, we mourn the loss of the black Camaro
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22579450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingcreature/pseuds/kinkymastermind
Summary: Whenever kinky is taking over, expect something crazy. Are you ready for a different attempt Danny's plot of episode 10.14? Are you willing to follow me down the rabbit hole? Let me manipulate you? I hope so. And I hope you will enjoy this one as much as I did writing it. There will be dark moments, but what would these moments be without the light at the end of the tunnel? Because as long as we believe in McDanno and their unconditional love for each other, there is hope, right? I'm game, are you? Extended episode coda.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Series: Warzone/Paradise Chronicles [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/483914
Comments: 81
Kudos: 112





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [all the disappointed Danny/McDanno fans out there](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=all+the+disappointed+Danny%2FMcDanno+fans+out+there).



> [](http://mycoven.net/index.php?seite=display&img=i526blm1r2)   
> 

Cars with flashing lights and howling sirens raced past him, enveloping him in dust that made him cough, which in turn caused him hellish pain. It felt like his chest was being torn apart. But instead of pausing briefly, he marched on stubbornly. No one noticed him – the rescue workers were busy elsewhere. And he didn't intend to make himself noticed. What for? He was fine. Even if his body and clothes indicated otherwise, he didn't care. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and each step was a struggle.

Danny didn't know where this path would lead him. His instincts had taken over; he was practically on autopilot. Again and again, confusing images appeared in his mind's eye. Fragments of memories from the past hours performed a bizarre dance in his head. When it got too much for him, he bit his lower lip until he tasted blood. Doggedly, he put one foot in front of the other. There was hardly any traffic in this godforsaken area.

Another vehicle appeared on the horizon. The driver slowed down when he noticed the figure on the side of the road. But when he saw the man wore blood-caked, dirty clothes, he quickly stepped on the gas and raced off. Danny shook his head and chuckled.

"Looks like I scared you to death. Yeah, I'm really good at this." His grin widened. "Scared him to death," he kept mumbling, "I scared him to death."

The chuckle turned into a giggle. Yeah, that’s how it's supposed to be if you’re losing your mind. A truck drove past Danny and stopped a few yards ahead of him. The driver's door opened, an older man got out and shouted, "Hey, kid, what’re you doing out here all alone? All hell’s broken loose back there." He nodded with his head past Danny. "There's a lot of emergency vehicles. The road is buzzing like a beehive."

Danny slowed his steps. But the man's voice tore him only partly from his lethargy. His mind started playing tricks on him, "Hey, Duke." Danny reached for the man's hand. He felt his strength draining from his body. He stumbled.

The man caught him, "Hey, careful, kiddo. Careful." Then he held Danny at arm's length and eyed him carefully. "Are you okay? Were you involved in this? I couldn't see much of what was..."

Danny raised his hand and shook his head minutely, "No, no, I'm fine. It's all good. I, uh... me... Can you please give me a ride back to civilization?"

The man hesitated a moment. But something told him he needn't be scared of this guy. He was a wreck. And who was he to judge other people? He'd been through some bad times himself. So he led Danny around the truck and to the passenger side, where he opened the door and helped him get in. "Oh, and my name is Kane, not Duke. But don't worry, it's gonna be okay." Whatever it was that shook his passenger to the core, somehow, he'd get over it. Kane was sure.

When the man asked him for the address, Danny gave it to him and added, "But it's okay if you can just take me to..." His voice trailed off.

Kane fired up the engine, took a worried side glance at Danny and said, "It's just a little detour for me. It's all right. You sure you don't want to go to a hospital, or should we stop somewhere where you can use the phone? Out here, there's..."

"No signal," Danny finished the sentence, "No, yes, I get it. I just want to go home, thanks."

Kane shrugged and drove off. An hour and a half later, they arrived at the address Danny gave him. They hadn't said another word to each other during the drive. Danny was grateful for that. With his face contorted in pain, he climbed out of the car and thanked the older man. He wished him well and watched the red lights disappear, then Danny limped toward the front door. Only now did he realize that he had nothing on him except his phone.

"Shit, shit, shit." He looked around until his gaze fell on the red flower pot. It took him some effort to get the key out of its hiding place. As the door swung open and he entered, a strange feeling overcame him. Something didn't feel right. But he was far too exhausted to think about it any further.

The first way led him to the bathroom. He winced at the glare of light that welcomed him as he switched it on. After taking a leak, he went over to the sink. Slowly he raised his head, barely recognized his reflection. The man with the hollow eyes and the sunken cheeks wasn't him. It couldn't be. Following an impulse, he washed his hands. Again, he was hit by the feeling that something was off. And yes, indeed. The whole bathroom was empty, with no signs of someone living here. Panicking Danny opened the mirror cabinet and one cupboard after the other.

"What the fuck?" he hissed.

When he'd finished the search in the bathroom, he went through room after room. Nothing. The whole place was empty. He didn't even recognize the sheets on the bed, let alone the carpeting. The pictures on the wall in the foyer were wrong. They showed people he'd never seen before.

Danny began hyperventilating. The walls around him were closing in. He felt his throat tighten; his head was about to explode. He staggered backward, looking for a hold on the side table next to him. His mind was flooded with images of the past few hours. When had he booked a ride on this devil's merry-go-round? Why couldn't he just jump off? This was insane; he was insane. His panic attack reached its peak. He tripped, and when he hit the floor hard on his back, the wind was knocked out of his lungs. A sea of stars exploded behind his closed eyes. Then silence. The darkness he had longed for so long welcomed him and enveloped him like a shroud.

tbc

thanks to my Alice @adaywithcoffe 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [](http://mycoven.net/index.php?seite=display&img=i526blm1r2)   
> 

Duke arrived at HPD headquarters, threw his police cap on his desk, and plopped into his seat. It had been a helluva morning. His unit had been involved in a high-speed chase; the perp had robbed a bank, killed a security guard in cold blood, and escaped with about twenty thousand dollars. He had blown two roadblocks before he could finally be stopped. This all hadn't been enough. The psycho engaged in a gunfight with the police, where he eventually died in a hail of bullets. Duke brushed his hair with his fingers. The heat outside made him feel like a maxed-out credit card. His wife was right; he was definitely getting too old for this shit.

Sighing, Duke rose from his chair and walked toward the break room. His gaze, however, was distracted. Opposite his bullpen, some colleagues were gathered in front of the big screen. It was typically used to show various educational films but mainly information about current traffic situations. Some of the uniforms were involved in lively discussions.

Curious, Duke approached the group and asked what their gathering was all about.

James Inoke, one of the new recruits, told him enthusiastically, "There was an accident near the Halawa Lounge. It’s obvious a car went off the road. A good opportunity to test Robocop."

Duke frowned, "Robocop?"

James nodded, pointing at the screen, "It’s a drone, actually called DJI Mavic 2 Pro. It's the latest tech for salvage operations in rough terrain. It's currently undergoing trials with the Honolulu Fire Department. It allows them to get an overview of the crash site and then coordinate their rescue operations with other rescue teams.

Duke had to admit that the thing provided razor-sharp images of the surrounding area. As the drone flew closer, the image of a terrible accident became more and more apparent. Skid marks were clearly visible where the vehicle had gone off the road and crashed into the thicket. The car must have rolled over several times. He wondered if there were any survivors. All officers had gone quiet and stared spellbound at the screen in front of them.

A muffled cry escaped Duke's throat as soon as the car came into sight. At least two or three uniforms turned their head in his direction.

One of them had the most worried look on his face. The totaled black Camaro was familiar to many of them. The officer said what others didn't even want to think, "Duke, could that be Detective Williams' car?"

The older man felt his chest tighten, "Who is in charge at the scene?" he hollered out.

"My dad, Chief Andrew Inoke," the recruit next to him said and immediately got on his radio. Duke's gaze was fixed on the screen. But he also listened to the static crackle next to him. As soon as he heard the Chief's voice, he took the radio out of James' hand.

"Chief, this is Sargent Duke Lukela with the HPD. Do you know if there are any survivors in the car?"

"We’ll learn about it in a few. Some of my men are already on their way down," the Chief said.

"Can you do me a favor and also check the license plate of the vehicle? We think it could be one of us."

"Roger." Then, more static crackle.

Meanwhile, the drone hovered over the crash site. Because of the trees and the thicket, it was not possible to lower it. The officer in control zoomed in, but the viewing angle was wrong, and there was also the wholly shattered windshield, which made the view into the car almost impossible.

Minutes ticked by. It seemed like forever until the radio came back to life.

Duke held his breath while he listened to the Chief, who told him that the car had been abandoned. And his men had found traces of blood. Unfortunately, based on the license plate number, Duke could determine without a doubt that it was Detective Williams' car.

"Thanks, Chief, please proceed with search and rescue," Duke said, defeated.

"Copy that. I’ll initiate a search for the missing detective immediately. I hope he's not too badly injured."

"Appreciate your efforts. I’m going to inform his partner, Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett from the Five-0 task force. We'll make sure to support you with enough manpower and a K-9 squad. We’re gonna set up a makeshift control center here, and your son is our intermediary. All information should go through him. I hope that's okay with you."

"Of course, Sarge." Then, they wished each other goodbye and signed off.

It was clear to everyone present that Duke was now taking the lead. He briefly talked to his people, then grabbed his police cap and stopped briefly at his boss's office. Ten minutes later, he was in a patrol car with a colleague driving to Steve's house. Bad news was best delivered in person.

When Duke arrived, he saw Steve's red truck sitting in the driveway; Tani's car was parked on the street. Did they already know about the accident?

Duke went to the front door while his colleague stayed behind.

Steve opened on the second ring. He looked horrible but welcomed the Sargent with a friendly smile and asked him in.

The smile on Steve's face faltered when he realized Duke's demeanor and overly concerned look on the older man's face.

Steve, who was on his way into the living room where Tani and Quinn sat on the couch with Eddie at their feet, stopped mid-step.

Steve put a hand on the older man's shoulder, looked him straight into the eye, and asked, "Duke, everything okay with you?"

Lukela huffed out a breath, "Do you know where Danny is or what his plans were for today?"

Steve wrinkled his brow, "He took a few days off. He mumbled something about getting his head free and sorting out some things concerning Rachel. Sounds like they’re calling it quits now once and for all. I just talked to him a few hours ago."

As he was talking, Steve already felt some kind of dark foreboding. There could only be one reason for Duke's personal visit and his question.

"Why… why are you asking me about Danny's whereabouts? Did something happen?"

As there was no other way to break it to Steve, Duke said, "We found Danny's totaled car near the Halawa Lounge, he must have gone off the road for some reason. The car somersaulted several times..."

The last bit of color drained from Steve's face. He felt his knees start to buckle and he began to shake.

Tani and Quinn noticed something was wrong and got up to check on the two men. Steve, who had been shaken thanks to Eddie's issues, was now pale as a specter. Maybe that's why his next, faltering words carried even more weight.

"Tell me, is he... is Danny... did something happen to him?"

The two women exchanged horrified looks.

Duke shook his head, "I… I wish I could tell you. So far, they’ve only found his car. Danny has gone missing. But rescue teams are already out searching for him. I ordered additional staff and a K-9 unit. I also talked to my boss. A helicopter fully fueled and ready to take off, is waiting for us at HPD's heliport."

Once more today, tears stung Steve's eyes. The lump in his throat was about to choke him. He put his hands akimbo to steady himself and inhaled sharply. He opened and closed his mouth like a landed fish. This day had already cost him so much of his strength. And now the reason for Eddie's strange behavior had been found and eliminated, and Steve had just about absorbed everything, Duke showed up with even worse news.

"Boss, anything we can do?" Quinn asked gently, more to stir Steve from his dismal thoughts than actually expecting for a reply. After what had happened to Eddie today, Quinn couldn't imagine what a terrible state of mind Steve was in.

"Listen, Quinn and I will stay here with Eddie. I can take him home with me later, as well. No problem." Tani started another attempt as Quinn's had been fruitless.

When he heard his name, Eddie showed up in the hall. He gently rubbed his head against Steve's leg. Wanted him to know he was there for him. And it actually seemed to help, as Steve woke from the stupor that had captured him and put him under its spell. He quickly ran his hand over his face. Obviously, he thought no one had noticed the tears in his eyes.

Then he nodded briefly in Tanis's direction, "Okay, you guys hold the fort. Call Lou and Adam, bring them up to speed. Duke and I will join the rescue team and bring Danny home." Before Steve left, he scratched Eddie behind his ears. He would have loved to take the dog with him. He would have been a great help in finding Danny, for sure. But unfortunately, not today, not while Eddie was recovering from his own trauma. Speaking of trauma, if that's what it takes, Steve thought, he should stay home too. Because after he got into the car with Duke who brought him up to speed and later at the heliport, Steve was back at square one.

In his mind, he'd already played through all possible scenarios about the outcome of the search. And the longer he brooded, the more horrible the images in his head became. Maybe it was time to pay a visit to the veterans' support group again. They'd probably written him off as a loss by now. Nevertheless, it had been good for him to talk to like-minded people for several months regularly**. Until today nobody knew about it. Except for Danny.

"Danny, what the hell happened to you and where the hell are you?" The deepening void Steve felt inside, as the helicopter took off was awful.

tbc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Hawaii Five-0 s04e15 deleted final scene - Steve at a therapy session (this scene spiked my idea)
> 
> [Hawaii Five-0 s04e15 deleted final scene - Steve at a therapy session](https://vimeo.com/260732104) from [Gaby E.](https://vimeo.com/user7134122) on [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com).


	3. Chapter 3

When Steve and Duke arrived at the crash site, the rescue team was just about to pull the Camaro out of the thicket and when Steve saw Danny's car dangling from the crane’s chain, he got nauseous. How on earth could Danny have survived this? Could he have been kidnapped? If so, why hasn't anyone received a ransom note or anything yet?

"Something feels off," Steve said to Duke, "we'd better have a word with the bartender of the Halawa Lounge. He was pretty much the last person who saw Danny."

Before they left, Steve took one last look at the Camaro and shook his head slightly, the motion barely noticeable. Then he followed Duke up the long, winding road to the lounge.

The conversation with the bartender was about as amusing as pulling teeth. He seemed withdrawn and taciturn. He told them that Danny had entered, sat down at the bar, and ordered a drink. Then he didn’t say anything for a long time. He just sat there.

Silence.

Steve and Duke stared at the guy in front of them expectantly. He seemed to have something else to tell.

They started when he suddenly said, "Oh, maybe Nancy, the waitress, can tell you more. Your colleague was talking to her. It hasn't been that busy today."

"Does Nancy have a last name?" Steve asked, slightly annoyed.

"Cole. Nancy Cole. I can give you her phone number. One moment, please." With that, he disappeared behind the counter and returned right after with a small piece of paper in his hand where he'd scribbled Nancy's number down.

In front of the lounge, an officer from the K-9 unit was already waiting for them. Steve felt painfully reminded of Eddie when he saw the man petting and praising his dog.

"Commander, Sarge," he greeted the two men, then pointed at the dog. "Butch was able to pick up Detective Williams’ trail but only up to a certain point where it gets lost. "Given the tracks, he must have gotten into a car."

"Do you know if he was alone? "I mean, are there any signs of a struggle or... anything?" Steve pressed.

The handler shook his head, "No, sir. In my opinion, and the opinion of our tracker, he was alone. However, he is likely to be injured. His trail suggests that he was limping. Blood was also mixed in with the sandy soil, but only a small amount."

"Anyway," Steve thought, "Danny was out there somewhere, alone, injured, and the night was coming." For the second time that day, he felt terribly helpless. He asked the handler to show him the tracks before it got too dark to see anything.

Steve still had hope that maybe the tire tracks could be followed. But even they disappeared into thin air when a brief thunderstorm suddenly hit the area and destroyed the last bit of evidence. Now only a miracle could help.

_1234_

Soaking wet, Eva Singer reached the house ahead of her client's minutes before their showing was scheduled to take place. Unfortunately, heaven had opened its floodgates just as her car conked out two blocks away. She was about to unlock the front door when she noticed something was wrong.

The door stood half-open. Eva couldn’t hear anything besides the rain, no obvious movement beyond the entrance. She didn't feel like standing around out here getting soaked any longer, so she gathered all her courage and stepped inside. No sooner had she turned on the light than her breath caught in awe. Someone had redecorated this place. Badly. She was about to dial 911 when she heard a noise from the adjoining room.

Eva was furious. Her clothes were dirty, and the house was trashed. Whoever was lurking around the corner was about to get the shock of their life. She rummaged through her purse and grabbed the pepper spray. Determined, she went into the other room. But instead of facing a burglar, she found a figure crouched in the corner of the room. The man's clothes were caked in blood and dirt, just like himself.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked angrily, staring down at him. "Are you responsible for this mess?"

Nothing.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! Was that you?" She pointed her index finger outside, gesturing to the rest of the house.

Slowly the stranger raised his head. When their eyes met, she put her hand to her mouth, startled. She knew the man. Ten years ago, he had come to her office looking to buy this house. "Detective Williams," she whispered, then she quickly dialed 911.

_1234_

Steve and Duke were already on their way back to HPD when they heard the news about Danny over the wire. Duke instructed the pilot to change course immediately and fly to Queen's Medical Center.

"What the hell was he doing in his old house?" Steve asked after Duke finished his conversation with the pilot and the search teams and turned his attention back to him. "That... none of this makes any sense. I mean, this... Why was Danny even in that godforsaken place?"

Duke didn't like how worn out Steve looked and wished he could do more than just stand by him.

"You said he wanted to clear his head about what happened with him and Rachel. If I want to clear my head, I'm going fishing. The bay's pretty secluded too."

Steve ground his jaw, something about the whole situation didn't sit right with him.

"No, Duke. There's more to it than that. I know there is. I, uh... I can feel it. It's just... I should have noticed it earlier, I mean... Damn it." He balled his hands into fists until his knuckles turned white.

The noise of the helicopter didn't make it easy to talk over the headphones. Still, Duke could hear the desperation in his friend's voice.

"Steve, I beg you, don't blame yourself. Whatever happened out there, we'll find out and also who did that to Danny."

Steve swallowed and shook his head, "Maybe it shouldn't have happened at all? Maybe I should have just listened to him more carefully. I mean, so much has happened lately, and I wasn't really listening when he told me about him and Rachel."

Steve inhaled a shuddering breath.

Duke frowned, "You think he wasn't telling you the truth? I don't see why he would have lied to you."

"I... "I don't know, Duke. "Right now, I just don't know anything. When are we gonna get to the damn hospital?"

"Just a few more minutes, Steve. We'll be right there." Duke gave him a confident smile even though he didn't feel it.

Steve accepted with a barely perceptible nod, then turned his head to the side and stared out the window into the darkness.

The emergency room at Queen's was brimming with activity. Steve badged his way through to the front desk.

"Commander McGarrett, Five-0 Task Force. My partner, Detective Danny Williams, was admitted here recently. I need to see his doctor immediately."

The nurse gave him a reproachful look over the rim of her glasses. "Commander, do you see everything going on? Nothing's going to happen immediately. The best thing..."

"Listen, nurse...," Steve glanced at her name tag, "Gertrude, either you tell me the doctor’s name right now, or I'm gonna jump over this counter and get the information myself. And believe me, you don't want me to do that because it's just gonna mess things up even more." The sharp tone in his voice left absolutely no room for objection. And Steve regretted it as soon as he uttered the words. But patience wasn't exactly one of his strong suits right now.

Well, if looks could kill... Still, the nurse tapped her keyboard and made a quick phone call. All of this was taking far too long for Steve. He was about to turn the whole hospital upside down.

"Please wait over there. Doctor Kailikea will be with you in a few minutes." She ended the conversation with that.

Duke accompanied Steve to the adjoining waiting room, where they sat down in two empty chairs. There was a group of young people in the white, spartan place who looked like they had just returned from a rave. Steve guessed a drug overdose or alcohol poisoning was involved.

Minutes turned into hours. Finally, a doctor came through the door. The look on his face did not bode well. Duke and Steve were about to get up, but the doctor ignored them and went over to the group. Judging by the reactions of individual teenagers, it wasn't great news but not bad news either.

Five minutes later, the door swung open again, and a young doctor entered the waiting area. She immediately turned to Steve and Duke. "Commander McGarrett? I'm Dr. Kailikea." Duke also introduced himself briefly, and they greeted each other with a brief, firm handshake.

"How's my partner, Detective Williams? How serious are his injuries? "Can I, uh... can we see him?" Steve got right to the point.

"He has a couple of broken ribs, a nasty laceration on his right side, lots of bruising, a sprained ankle and a severe concussion. To be honest, his physical condition isn’t what has us worried. Detective Williams is in top physical shape. But..."

"What do you mean, his physical condition isn’t what has you worried?" Steve interrupted.

The doctor slipped her hands into the pockets of her white coat. She seemed to choose her next words carefully, "Do you know if Detective Williams has been exposed to any drugs or chemicals recently?"

Steve was confused, "No, no. Absolutely not. I mean, not that I know of. Why?"

"As I said, his vitals are fine under the circumstances, but his mental state is a whole different story. He's apathetic. Confused. He keeps mumbling about someone he killed or wants to kill. Do you know anything about this?" The doctor looked back and forth between Steve and Duke.

They gave each other concerned looks. Steve tried to think straight, which was almost impossible in this situation.

"Commander?" the doctor prompted, also a bit worried, because Steve's pale face and the dark rings under his eyes stood out even more in the fluorescent light.

Her voice ripped Steve out of his gloomy thoughts. "To be honest, we don't have much idea what happened to Danny, my partner. We only know that his car, for reasons unknown to us, went off the road near the Halawa Lounge and crashed down a steep hill. When they found the car, my partner was gone. Can't his confusion be related to the concussion?

The doctor shrugged, "His CT scan was clean so far. "The tox screen came back clean, too. However, we're still waiting on additional test results."

Duke's cop instinct kicked in, "Dr. Kailikea, you seem to have some suspicions. Can you tell us why?"

"As I said, we're still waiting on some tests. But we suspect Detective Williams was exposed to a mind-altering drug. As have two other patients in the last eight weeks." The doctor cleared her throat.

Steve was stunned. Drugs? But when, where, and why had they been administered to Danny? Was someone trying to frame him?

"Damn it," Steve snapped, "I need to talk to him right now. Only he can tell us exactly what happened. Where is he?"

"I'm sorry," said the doctor, "we had to sedate him. We also need to get the drug out of his system. Since we don't know exactly what it is, it's going to take some time."

"What do you mean you don't know exactly what it is?" Steve's voice got louder with every word. "What kind of doctor are you? I'm arranging for Danny’s immediate transfer to Tripler Army Medical Center."

The doctor blushed, "We're already working closely with our colleagues there. Because it was someone from Tripler who tipped us off about the drug, it is very similar to the one used in interrogations. But only similar. If you want to know more, you should contact Dr. Levi Strauss. I'd be happy to give you his phone number."

Steve might just as well have been punched in the gut. What the doctor had said sounded like an episode straight out of the X-Files. Still, he had to admit to himself that there was little point in jumping into any more investigations tonight. At the moment, there was only one thing that mattered to him, and that was his friend. And no matter how miserable he felt himself, there was no way he was going to leave Danny alone. Steve was determined to be there for him now and later when he woke up.


	4. Chapter 4

Danny became aware of sounds first. There was beeping, consistent, and reassuring, and something that sounded like a soft snore. Then, Danny became aware of the pain and nausea. He opened his eyes to a blinding white light that pierced his brain.   
  
Steve started. Every muscle in his body screamed when he tried to get into a regular sitting position. Danny stirred and tried to get rid of the oxygen tube. Steve catapulted himself out of the chair and gently pulled Danny's hand away from the tube.   
  
"Danny, Danny. It's okay. You're in the hospital. You're safe," Steve whispered.   
  
Danny turned his head in the direction the soothing voice was coming from. It was a bad idea. A wave of nausea washed over him, and he rolled onto his side so he could vomit.  
  
"It's okay, Danno. I've got you," Steve said, his voice warm and lovely. He put one of his hands on Danny's shoulder while the other was holding a bedpan until the blond could vomit no more. Then Steve dabbed his friend's face with a damp cloth and cleaned him up. Danny slumped back onto the bed, totally exhausted, falling into another deep, dreamless sleep.  
  
The next time Danny awoke, there was less light and noise, and he felt much better. He could at least put some type of thoughts together.  
  
"Hey buddy," Steve said in a choked voice, "good to have you back." With tears stinging his eyes, he brushed a stray hair from Danny's forehead.  
  
It was hard for the blond to keep his eyes open. He felt like he was wrapped in cotton—dizzy and disoriented. He fought hard to stay awake, but the dull throb in his head didn't make it easy.   
  
Danny wanted to touch Steve's face but failed, and his mouth felt like he'd eaten dirt. Following his instinct, Steve took the cup of water from the nightstand. He placed the straw carefully into Danny's mouth so he could take a few sips, and Danny briefly nodded when he had enough.  
  
"What does it say when the visitor looks worse than the patient," Danny croaked, while Steve put the cup back on the nightstand.  
  
A weak smile flashed across his face when his and Steve's eyes met again.  
  
"You think I look worse than you? Seriously?" Steve quipped. "Shall I get a mirror for you, Danno?"  
  
Again, Danny wanted to pull the oxygen tube from his nose, but Steve kept him from doing it, "Easy buddy, easy. It's better if we leave it like that for now. Okay?"  
  
"Whatever you say, Dr. Steven."  
  
Suddenly, Danny's demeanor changed. It was barely visible.   
  
"What's wrong, Danny?"   
  
Silence.   
  
"Hey, buddy, what's going on in your mind? Talk to me," Steve urged him.  
  
"I killed her, Steve. I killed her. I tried everything I could, but…" Danny's voice faltered.   
  
"Danny, what are you talking about? You didn't kill anybody. You were alone when you were found," Steve tried to calm him.  
  
"She… she was in the car with me… the Camaro. Did… did you find it… did you find… her?" Danny looked anxious.   
  
"Buddy, we found the Camaro. It was abandoned. There was no evidence that someone was with you," Steve said.  
  
Danny swallowed hard before he replied, "You… you don't need to protect me from the truth… I…"  
  
"Danny, I swear, there was no one in the car but you. You have to believe me."  
  
Instead of a reply, Danny's eyes rolled back in his head, and his vitals went off the charts.  
  
"Help, someone, please, we need help!" Steve yelled at the top of his lungs.  
  
_1234_  
  
Tani and Quinn looked expectantly at Lou, who just got off of the phone with Steve.   
  
"Everything okay?" Quinn asked.  
  
Lou huffed out a breath, then said, "Danny had some sort of relapse. The doctor said it is part of the detoxication he is undergoing. They knew more about the drug then 8 weeks ago, but haven't still decoded the complete formula. At least they have reduced the mortality rate to zero, the doctor also said. The other two patients weren't as lucky as Danny; they did not survive the first twenty-four hours. That gives us reason to hope."  
  
Lou was interrupted when one of the glass doors swung open, and Adam rushed into the office. He targeted the Surface Table. As soon as he reached it, he started typing on it. Within seconds, the horrific pictures of Danny's totaled Camaro showed up, along with a report from the forensic lab.  
  
Tani and Quinn hadn't seen any of it yet and exchanged shocked looks.   
  
Lou shot Adam an expectant glance.  
  
Without further ado, Kono's ex-husband started his explanation, "According to forensics, whoever did this wasn't only messing with Danny's health but also with his car. There is clear evidence that the brake line was cut, and the gas pedal manipulated."  
  
"Whoever did this wanted Danny dead, that's for sure," Lou grumbled.  
  
"So, I guess, there was more to this few days off than getting his mind out of the gutter concerning Rachel."   
  
Tani, Adam, and Lou turned their heads in Quinn's direction.   
  
"What?" she asked. "We just had a little chit chat between colleagues."  
  
"Okay, whatever," Lou tried to ease the tension that was suddenly omnipresent in the room and then stated dryly, "Tani, Quinn, get hold of this waitress, Nancy Cole. My gut tells me that she might know more about the circumstances that lead to Danny's accident."   
  
"You think the waitress is what? A serial killer?" Adam followed up in disbelief.  
  
"I don't know how she fits into all of this. But since she had been the only person who talked to Danny before everything went south …" Lou's voice trailed off.  
  
_1234_  
  
After the doctors were able to stabilize Danny, Steve rushed home for one of his famous Navy showers and a change of clothes.   
  
Then he made himself some coffee, and when he was about to put some butter in it, a smile curled his lips upwards. He remembered Danny's reaction to it, about five years ago. Today, the five years were like an eternity to him. So many things had happened since then. Much of it had left a bitter aftertaste. Other things had left a void that could hardly be filled. And his relationship with Danny … it seemed to have taken on a life of its own, especially since he had recently moved in with Steve. The fact that Junior was also staying at Casa McGarrett had made things a bit more complicated. That's why he was happy that the guy would move into his own apartment when he returned from wherever his mission had led him. The three-way TV nights had become awkward lately.  
  
Steve called the hospital before he left to ask about Danny. Dr. Kailikea assured him that his partner's condition was stable for now and that she would call him as soon as there were any changes.   
  
Steve wanted nothing more than to be at Danny's side. He was determined to find out who was behind everything that had happened to his friend. Meanwhile, it was clear to him that Rachel hadn't been the reason for a few days off but working a case. And Lou's text message from earlier, in which he mentioned that someone had tampered with the Camaro, confirmed his suspicions even more.  
  
Still, the question remained why Danny hadn't told him about it? Steve put the empty coffee cup in the sink and tried to remember the conversation the day before Danny's accident. But as hard as he tried, the memory was, at best, vague.  
  
1234  
  
While Quinn was driving, Tani tried to reach Nancy Cole. In vain. The calls went straight to voice mail.   
  
"She's either in a coma, ignores the calls or fell off the planet," Tani said, annoyed. Then she side-eyed Quinn. "Did Danny mention anything else to you?"   
  
Quinn frowned, "What do you mean?"  
  
Tani grimaced, "It seems you guys get along pretty well. I saw you hanging out with him at Thanksgiving at Steve's. Did … did he tell you why he and Rachel …"  
  
Quinn snorted, "Are you interrogating me? Sorry to disappoint you. We only had some small-talk between colleagues. Oh, what about you and Joons? Did he kiss you goodbye before he went on his mission?"  
  
"Touché," Tani replied. They spent the rest of the way in silence.  
  
When they knocked on Nancy's apartment door, nobody answered. That didn't hold Quinn back from picking the lock.   
  
"And you learned that were, at the military school?" Tani was curious.   
  
"Nope. A friend and I used to pick locks for fun, and later we broke into the teachers' room to steal tests or opened lockers to fill them with all kinds of stuff, depending on whether we liked the person or not ..."  
  
"Nice," Tani replied, amused, "I am glad our paths never crossed around that time."  
  
"As you can see, this skill comes in handy at times."   
  
Quinn had hardly finished her sentence when the door to Nancy's apartment swung open. They did a quick search. And it looked like the waitress had packed a few things in a hurry and disappeared. Great, another dead end.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. But things got really turbulent since my last update. I hope all of you are safe and sound. A huge thank you in advance if you are still with me and the boyz on this, more than crazy, journey. 
> 
> On another note, a shoutout to my wonderful beta, adaywithcoffee who is having my back and often being a true inspiration.

Steve had barely entered H50's headquarters when his phone went off. A quick look at the caller ID told him it was Governor Keiko Mahoe.

' _Great,'_ Steve thought.

"McGarrett," he barked into the phone.

"Commander, I need you to see you in my office, ASAP."

Mahoe's voice left no room for argument.

Still, Steve didn't want to admit defeat too quickly, "Listen, Governor, I'm pretty tied up right now. We've got a lot of leads to cover and..."

"I know, Commander. What we have to discuss concerns Detective Williams," Mahoe interrupted him roughly.

Steve was confused, "Governor, how..."

"I'll see you in my office in 20 minutes. We'll discuss everything, then. And Commander, bring Captain Grover with you." Before Steve could answer, the conversation was over.

Steve's head was buzzing. What the hell was that about? He looked from his phone to Lou for help.

"Steve? Steve, are you okay?" Lou asked worriedly. "Is Danny, okay?"

Steve shook his head, "Honestly, I don't know."

"Was that the hospital?" Lou wanted to know.

"No, it was Governor Mahoe. She wants to see me... us right now, and what she has to tell us is about Danny."

Exactly nineteen minutes later, Steve and Lou were standing in the governor's office. Mahoe had stepped out from behind her desk and scrutinized the two men.

"Gentlemen, thank you for coming. What I have to say to you is confidential and should not leave this room," Mahoe made clear.

"With all due respect, Governor, this is going to be extremely difficult as our entire team is working on Detective Williams' case," Lou interjected.

"Well, that is going to make things a little bit more difficult. Besides, it's not up to me to give your entire team clearance on this case."

Steve didn't like Mahoe's cryptic answer at all. Something was going on here. ' _Danny, what the fuck have you been up to?'_ Steve thought but tried to hide his concern behind a neutral expression. Danny would have called it "aneurism face."

Whatever was going on here, Mahoe seemed to enjoy the increasing tension as she let her words hang in the air for some time before continuing.

"Gentlemen, may I introduce Matthew Forrester and Marshal Hanover."

Steve's and Lou's jaw dropped almost simultaneously. But for entirely different reasons.

In Steve's case, it took him about two seconds to realize who he was looking at. However, none of those present expected such an outburst. Steve shot forward like a taut arrow, grabbed Forrester by the collar, and drove him against the wall with all his might.

Hanover had his hand on his gun immediately, but Lou held him back.

"Don't," he said in a warning tone.

"You son of a bitch. You're still alive?" Steve yelled at the man. "Do you have any idea what your brother has been through? The shit he put up with for you?"

"Commander, please," Mahoe said, putting her hand on his shoulder as she spoke. "Let's discuss this in quiet."

"In quiet? Are you serious? How would that even be possible? I'm facing a dead man here, I mean... someone Danny and I _thought_ was dead anyway. And once again, it's Detective Williams whose life is on the line... that bastard almost got him killed once. But it seemed that wasn't enough. No wonder he doubts his sanity. What the hell is going on?" Reluctantly, Steve let go of Matthew Williams, Danny's supposedly dead brother.

When Matthew finally got some air, he spoke in a husky voice, "I can imagine how you must feel."

"Like hell, you can," Steve snapped, "you don't know what it cost Danny to look for you in Reyes' shithole just to find a barrel with your name on it."

"Commander, please. calm down," Hanover asked. "Let's sit down. We're here to shed some light on the matter and help you find whoever did this to your partner."

"If this is the way it's done in Chicago, we'll be glad to go on without your cooperation, Hanover," Lou said with a bitter undertone in his voice.

Steve's head jerked in Lou's direction, "What? You know this guy?"

Lou nodded, "Unfortunately. It's not the first time we've dealt with each other. Back in Chicago, it had cost his partner's life."

"Captain, those were different circumstances and different times," Hanover tried to talk his way out of it. "You were an essential part of exposing the mole in our department then. I've always appreciated your methods and frankness. That's why I wanted you here."

The atmosphere in the governor's office was still heated. But they sat down. Not without Steve glaring daggers at Matthew.

Mahoe rose to speak after everyone was settled, "First of all, I was involved in this matter from the very beginning. Everything went down with my knowledge... Marshal Hanover approached me a few weeks ago and asked for my assistance in this most sensitive case.

"And what is this sensitive case? Did Matt suddenly get tired of being a dead man? Did he have enough and wanted to get out? I could have told him it wasn't going to be easy."

"Commander, please," Mahoe interrupted him.

"It's Mr. Forrester's daughter," Hanover said.

Steve's eyes widened. It took him enormous effort not to cross the table and give Matthew another rebuff.

"You have a daughter?" he asked, aghast.

"Steve, I... I only found out about her a year ago. I had absolutely no idea..." Matthew tried to justify himself. "Erin's mother died in a car accident. I'm the only one she has left. She found out about me at the reading of her mother's will. And somehow, she managed to find me, despite the WITSEC program."

"Well, the program has more holes than Swiss cheese," Steve stated dryly and looked reproachfully at Hanover.

"Erin seems to have inherited her Uncle Danny's stubbornness. When he sinks his teeth into something... All right. She's twenty-two years old and works for the district attorney's office. Somehow, she managed to get hold of my files..."

"Anyway," Steve snapped, "since you just mentioned your brother, how does he fit into all this?"

"We think that Erin may have been the victim of a serial killer," Hanover said.

"At first, we thought her disappearance had something to do with Matthew's past. That someone was out to get revenge on him. But after careful investigation, we concluded that this could not be the reason."

"Yes, of course. You marshals are all utterly blameless," Lou mocked. The bitterness of the unintentional reunion with Hanover was still written all over his face.

"Captain, after Erin approached us, we decided to put her in the witness protection program, as is often the case with close relatives."

Steve laughed out loud, "Close family. Come on, Matty didn't even know she existed. You could have denied everything."

"Erin's mother left her nothing but a pile of debts. She was about to lose the roof over her head. What was I supposed to do? Just watch?" Pure desperation was in Matthew's voice.

"Well, you've made a good decision for once in your life," Steve replied.

"Mr. Forrester's daughter had planned a trip to Hawaii," Mahoe continued. "According to airline records, she arrived here a few weeks ago, checked into the Ala Moana Hotel, but after only two days, her trail disappeared. That's when Marshal Hanover approached me and asked for my assistance. After careful consideration, I decided to get in touch with Detective Williams. He had worked on a similar case in New Jersey."

"Bullshit," Steve sneered. "You know that as well as I do. You could have involved my whole team. We could have done a lot more. Besides, Danny is Erin's uncle. Since when are family members allowed to..."

"I wanted this, Steve. It's all my fault. I didn't want anyone else to get involved." Matthew struggled to keep his composure. Nervously, he clenched his fingers. "I had no idea it would almost kill him."

Steve rolled his eyes and shook his head, "So he knows you're alive?"

Matthew nodded.

"Great. That explains a lot of what's been going on lately and his secretiveness." Steve was angry that Danny hadn't told him, but he now had some answers regarding his partner's strange behavior.

"We should have met with Detective Williams. He called me and said he was on to something that might be bigger than we thought," Hanover explained. "He had requested files on missing tourists from HPD, and there were some leads involving the mainland. I, for my part, took care of those leads to the mainland. It occurred to me that we might be dealing with a serial killer."

"Didn't Danny tell you about any of this? I mean, about the case, not that I'm involved in it anyway." Matthew asked.

"I'm sorry. No. I knew Danny was on to something, but I thought he wouldn't let me know until he had a lead," Steve replied.

"Today, a courier brought a large brown envelope for Danny. I just put it on his desk," Lou said. "Maybe it has some more answers in it."

Steve ran his hand over his face. He felt exhausted and was still close to wringing Matthew's neck.

If Erin would have become the victim of a serial killer and Danny got too close to him, he could still be in danger. Steve's bad day had just gotten worse.


End file.
